ABHIRIKA FOEREVER
by TheDamselInShiningArmour
Summary: Love always keeps you close...it gives u strength and keeps you going. abhirika story!
1. Chapter 1

NO MATTER HOW FAR WE ARE, I AM NEAR

They say that some battles are to be fought alone. It was one of those days…when she was alone – all by herself. She didn't have many friends. She had always been that introverted scientist lost in her work, talking to others only when required. She kept to herself and never really opened up to others. Heck, she didn't even know if she believed in love. But that was until he came along. To say it say that it was magical would be an understatement. She got butterflies in her stomach every time he flirted, blood gushing to her cheeks even at the smallest of compliments, a smile creeping up her face by just the mention of his name – not just her days, he dominated her dreams too. Yes, she was head over heels in love with this man.

But he had been away for 3 days. They talked everyday…but that was different. He sensed pain in her voice, even she knew that. But he couldn't help it…their jobs were keeping them away from each other. No matter how much they wanted to see each other – there were times they had to stay away. This was one of those times.

After a tiring day, she made her way towards the garden near her house. She removed her coat, not bothering to change into a more comfortable attire and sat in the grass, burying her head between her knees. From gentle drizzles the rain became heavy but she didn't move. She let it pour on her…she let her tears mix with those raindrops; she let her sorrow into the air that surrounded her. But she wasn't feeling better….it was her brother's 4th death anniversary. She had been tortured and abused as a child, all her relatives had abandoned her – when there was no one she could turn to, he was there. That is why Raksha bandhan had been so important for her…she made it a point to fly to Hyderabad – come what may. After he died, a vacuum was left inside her.

She didn't know that her wet white shirt had become the centre of attraction in the park that was devoid of children and women due to the heavy rain.

"Maal hai," she heard a contemptible voice.

"Tarika don't go alone in that park," his voice echoed in her ears.

Guilty and heart pounding , she got up to leave when she was stopped by another voice.

"Arrey madam, aise kaise jaa rahi hai akele akele."

She was surrounded by a gang of 3 rowdy men. One of them stepped forward and almost touched her hand.

"Don't touch me," she yelled, "CID se hu."

Mustering courage she took her gun out and continued speaking.

"Aaj shayad tum teen ho aur mein akeli hu lekinagar tum logo ne kuch bhi kiya toh kal puri CID team tumhare peeche lag jaayegi. Tumhare liye yahi acha hoga ki patli gali se nikal jao."

However, the man who had been bold enough to step towards her didn't seem to be affected. Had it not been for the other two, he would have not stopped. After the gang left, she was about to make her way towards her house when she was engulfed into a hug. She was startled but she later melted in those familiar arms.

"Tumne itni der laga di," she said and cried her heart out.

He rubbed her back and continued showering her with kisses while consoling her. After she stopped crying, he made her look into his eyes.

"Aap ko mana kiya tha na Tarika ji."

"wo Abhijeet," she was scared. His anger was the last thing she needed.

"Chaliye ghar," he said, covering her with his coat while his bloodshot eyes quickly scanned the entire area.

"Kya dekh rahe ho?"

"ki kisi ki jurrat toh nahi meri Tarika ko galat nazro se dekhne ka," his grip on her waist tightened while she smiled, mustering courage to ask him the actual question.

"Abhijeet…."

"Bolo na"

"wo…wo….tum gussa"

He made her look at him and put on a serious face. Little did she know that he enjoyed her childish fear.

"haan gussa toh mein hu, aur saza bhi milegi tumhe."

"tum mujhe – "

Before she could say another word, her lips were sealed with his. It was perfect, a stormy day, heavy rain and him kissing her – in the middle of a busy street, in the rains. They fell in love, all over again. She closed her eyes, cherishing the moment. And then in a streak of naughtiness, she bit his lower lip.

"mmm…" he moaned while she laughed between the kiss, drawing air and deepening it.

"kata kyun?" he pouted cutely.

"Punishment."

"acha acha….galti aap karein –aur saza bhi aap dein?"

"u senior inspector," she poked the tip of his nose with his finger, "made me miss you."

They walked back, hand in hand…in perfect peace. Then suddenly…..gunshot.


	2. Chapter 2

Helloooooooaaa guys! How have you been doing? So….here is another quick update. Do leave me with lotsa reviews

A soft touch was felt against her forehead…like him, kissing her. She smiled in her sleep, savouring the feeling. He then took her in his arms, making her melt at the touch. With all her strength, she hugged back and then she fell into deep sleep, again.

"ahh," she moaned after a while, slowly gaining consciousness. Through a throbbing head, she struggled to open her eyes. Her mind fought against some video playing inside her head to decipher what was happening. It was a flashback…yes a flashback.

They were walking hand in hand….and then it was blurry. For all she knew he was beside her. Oh wait, he was teary and he had his gun out. Three bullets and three men – dead, on the road. And then there was her, trying to say something.

"Mein…mein theek hu abhi…" the voice seemed to die down.

"k-k-kuch nahi hoga Tarika," he spoke, carrying her.

She remembered looking down, at her own shirt. The white shirt became red near the chest and being a doctor, she got scared.

He hugged her, tight.

"udhar mat dekho Tarika," he said, making her look into his eyes, "mujhpe bharosa rakho."

She didn't know how or why but she smiled and then it was blank. She would've probably fainted.

"A-abhijeet…"she spoke

"beta," she heard a familiar, loving voice.

It was her boss. She opened her eyes and saw the fatherly figure. Wait did that mean she was in the hospital? She looked around – green curtains, a nurse and more people surrounding her.

She looked and smiled at her team, acknowledging everyone's presence but her eyes were restless for him. As far as she remembered, nothing had happened to him but she was dying to know if he was alright.

She talked to everyone pleasantly while her heart yearned for him. Now she was losing patience, where on earth was he?

They must have sent him away with some work, she decided, it was Salunkhe sir after all, that must be the case.

She was sure he would come as soon as possible. After everyone left and Purvi stayed behind, she spoke.

"Purvi, wo phone…"

"haan," she said, passing her the phone. A rueful shade covering her face, she smiled.

Tarika wondered what happened but she decided that right now wasn't a good time to ask. She checked her phone….there was nothing – no messages, no voice mails…nothing from him.

"purvi," she finally decided to ask, "wo abhijeet…"

"Wo sir –"

"Tarika," said Daya entering with a bouquet, " hume bhi yaad kar liya karo yaar."

"nahi," she laughed, "mera wo matlb nahi tha."

"kaisi tabiyat hai abhi?"

"mein toh bilkul theek hu…abhijeet kaisa hai?"

"Arrey abhi bhi Abhijeet! Wo bilkul fit and fine hai…tumne use ek kharoch tak aane thodi nah di thi"

"Daya sir aap bhi…ye baat toh hum sab jaantein hai ki dono ek dusre ko kuch nahi hone de saktein."

"tu bhi nah purvi," she blushed, shushing her friend, "kuch bhi bolti rehti hai."

"acha ye batao purvi…tarika ne kuch khaaya?"

"haan sir…abhi dinner aata hi hoga."

Dinner? She had forgotten to check the time….she glanced at her phone. It was 10pm…yet there was no message from him. She shot a glance at daya. She knew that something was up.

"ahem…wo Tarika."

"kab tak baat ko ghumaaoge Daya?"

"wo…usne transfer le liya hai"

"Transfer," she froze, "kaha?"

Why was not the question. She would ask him that herself. She just wanted to know where he was.

"wo," this time purvi spoke, "kisi ko bhi nahi pata…sir ne headquarters se seedhe –"

"arrey aise kaise transfer – bina kuch kahe, bina kuch sune…mein abhi phone lagati hu usko."

"koi fayda nahi hai Tarika – number change ho gaya hai unka…hum log saari koshish kar chukein hai."

"par aise," a tear escaped her eyes, "aap log…aap log cid waale hai nah – kuch kijiye."

"Tarika – sambhalo apne aap ko. Baat ko samajhne ki koshish karo."

"kya…kya samjhu Daya? "

Before she could continue, there was a blackout. She didn't know if she had fainted or if the lights had gone.

"abhi generator on kar denge," the nurse spoke.

So it was the electricity, she concluded. She let herself cry in the armour of the darkness when she felt him, holding her hand.

She tried to stand up when the lights came back and Purvi stopped her.

"baitho…baitho Tarika. Kya kar rahi ho?"

"purvi…wo aaya tha…mein jaanti hu…wo tha yahi pe."

"Tarika…baat ko samjho – sir ne ek week pehle transfer le liya tha…"

Tarika found herself spellbound. She didn't know what to do, what to say, how to react. How could he leave, just like this? Without a word? How?

Another week passed yet she couldn't come to terms with the reality. Little by little, she was dying on the inside. The bureau was empty…so was her heart. All her colleagues hurt to see her like that yet they couldn't do anything but sympathize.

It was the first Sunday without him….they had spent times apart but….this was the first time – after he…he left.

She was making tea…her gaze fixed at a lonely bird in her garden – singing a song…perhaps calling its lover. The bird was just like her, she thought.

Suddenly, she was taken aback by a movement.

"kaun hai waha?" she yelled when she caught the glimpse of a man running. It took her less than a second to recognize the figure.

"Abhijeet! Ruko abhijeet….baat karo mujhse."

She ran after him but there was no one there. Tears streaming down her face, she wondered if she was going mad without him….did she need medical help?

"dekho na," she whimpered, collapsing to the ground, "dekho kya halat ho gayi hai meri."

As her gaze fell on a paper…she stopped. That familiar handwriting…so he was there. He had come to see her. Why then did he leave? With a lot of questions in her mind, she read the note. With the way it was fallen in her garden, she decided that it must have fallen out of his pocket – there were better ways to keep it if he wanted to leave her a note.

Opening the almost crushed paper, she read it…

" _Let me kiss you in your sleep,_

 _So I can leave before you know its me,_

 _Let me hold you in the dark,_

 _Before I let you be._

 _Let me hug you one last time, love,_

 _Then I promise, I will leave._

 _All our memories are safe with me,_

 _All that laughter etched in my being,_

 _Let me make one more memory, love,_

 _Then I promise, I will leave._

 _You think I left you, and I'll let that be,_

 _For if you know I care, you won't let me leave._

 _Do you know, darling, how much it hurts?_

 _To see you cry and not wipe those tears?_

 _But for you, I'll even be the devil,_

 _Cause that's just how much I love._

 _Its hard to let go,_

 _I know not how I will live,_

 _So let me stare at you one last time, love,_

 _Then I promise, I will leave._

 _I am going far away, my dear,_

 _But I'll see you in your dreams,_

 _Don't hate me for this love,_

 _That's all I plead…."_

So the kiss….in the hospital, that hug and that touch when the lights were gone – everything was real.

"love!darling!" her tone was a mixture of anger and sarcasm, "kabhi tumne Tarika ji se zyaada bola hai? Mein naraz nahi hu iss baat se…bas ek hi sawal…kyun karte ho itna pyaar? Kyu de rahe ho apne aap ko itne takleef?"


	3. Chapter 3

Hey guys… sorry for the late update. But I was really , really busy.

A huge thank you to all those who reviewed….. I request all my readers to leave me a feedback. Constructive criticism is welcome : I want to know if you guys like the story…do you want me to continue?

She read the lines of the note again:

 _So let me stare at you one last time, love,_

 _Then I promise, I will leave._

"aakhri baar dekhne aaye the?" she held the note to her bosom, "tumhe kabhi nahi maaf karungi mein Abhijeet – kabhi nahi….ek baar tum mil jao, phir dekhti hu kaise bach paate ho mere gusse se."

"bada aaya mahan ban'ne," she spoke aloud, " you left because you thought that your presence would endanger my life. Those men were aiming at you, I took the bullet and you got scared. But that doesn't grant you any rights to leave!"

She had resolved to find though she didn't know how. She would've taken the note to the CID team but they wouldn't believe her – even I they did, she knew Abhijeet had easy access to their operations – even the extremely covert ones. He would apprehend their moves and take the necessary steps.

She quickly wore his favourite black jeans and a grey top and took her bike to the forensic lab.

"aao, aao Tarika," Salunkhe sir smiled, "k-"

"Sir wo mein…"

"kya baat hai?"

"Sir mujhe kuch dino ke liye chutti chahiye."

"theek hai…theek hai – headquarters bhej detein hai hum tumhari –"

"sir utna time nahi hai –"

"lekin tarika ye koi half day nahi hai jo mein de sakta hu tumhe."

"sir aap please baat ko samajhne ki koshish kijiye….mujhe aaj se hi leave chahiye."

"I am sorry Tarika par mein tumhari koi madat nahi kar paunga."

"Sir aap please –"

"no Tarika…I am helpless."

"toh phir theek hai sir – mujhe maaf kijiye, mujhe without permission leave leni padegi."

"par tum jaanti ho na….iss se tumhe –"

"ache se jaanti hu sir…mujhe nikal diya jayega – par iski naubat nahi aayegi….mein khud apna resignation dungi."

"Tarika kyu kar rahi ho ye sab? Apne hi haatho se apna future kyu bigaad rahi ho? Wo bhi uss kamzor darinde k –"

"sir please! Aap ka koi hak nahi banta unke baare mein aisa kehne ke liye. Unhone kuch nahi kiya hai….ye mera decision hai – isliye aap jo kehna chahtein hai, mujhe boliye – unki kya Galati."

"arrey lekin kar toh tum ussi k liye rahi ho nah."

She hung her head down. She didn't have an answer to this.

"kya hua? Nahi hai koi jawab? Aisa hi hoga tarika – galat log tumhe bas issi layak chodenge. Meine kaha tha….mat ghumo phiro uske saath itna….kya hua?dekha kya hua? Chod diya nah tumhe iss halat mein - kuch bolne k layak –"

"sir please!"

"kya sir please? Kuch galat kaha meine? "

She wondered if she should tell him about the note she found. No , that would only complicate things – he would tell the entire team and they would risk losing him, she decided.

"sir mein leave ke liye aayi thi yaha. Mujhe ab der ho rahi hai – mein chalti hu."

"Tarika I respect your decision…lekin jaate jaate ek baat sunn lo – wo ek mature insaan hai aur jaanta hai ki uske liye kya acha hai. uski khushi bhi toh dekho….agar wo yaha se jaakar khush hai toh tum kyu –"

"sir lekin mein jaanti hu ki wo khush nahi hai."

"beta agar wo yaha khush hota toh wo jaata nahi….wo yaha se dur, yaha ki yaado se dur gaya hai kyuki ye sab usse takleef deti hai – agar wo waapas aana chahta hai toh wo aa jaayega….usko time do."

"sir mein chalti hu."

"socho iss baare mein…aur khayal rakhna."

With her mind replaying the last statement by her boss, she went back home. Was he right? Did Abhijeet need time?

Tarika 1: tumhara Abhhijeet hai…jaao jaakar usse lekar aao

Tarika 2: par agar usko time ki zaroorat ho toh?

Tarika 1: kis cheez ke liye time? Wo ye sab sirf tere liye kar raha hai..note mein saaf saaf likha hai.

Tarika 2: arrey note toh theek hai…lekin tu ek doctor hai – you have learnt psychology. Tujhe pata hai nah – mind games.

Tarika 1: par tera dil jaanta hai ki ye koi mind game nahi hai

Tarika 2: pyaar wo hota hai jisme unki khushi hi teri khushi hai

Tarika 1: par wo khush nahi hai. Uske paas jaa….ye sirf tera hak nahi….tera farz bhi hai."

Tarika: haan ye mera hak aur mera farz hai

With this she packed her bag…she didn't know where to go – he could be anywhere..anywhere in India.

But wait…no one had come to replace him yet…did that mean?

Yes that could be the answer…thats why they didn't find him yet. He didn't leave yet…he was on leave. She was glad that India had reduced to Mumbai.


End file.
